Aeroplane-motor.



F. GRETSKY.

AEROPLANE MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1911.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917. 2 SHEETSSHEET l F. GRETSKYV.

AEROPLANE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1911.

' Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

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AEBOPLANE-MOTOB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Novjfi, 1917.

Application filed May 12, 1917. Serial No. 168,143.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK GRnTsKY, citizen of the United States, residing at Coal Center, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplane-Motors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable other skilled in the art to which it ap-- pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to an aeroplane motor.

' The object of the present invention is to provide for aeroplanes 'a simple, practical and eflicient attachment of strong, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction comprising a wind wheel adapted to be mounted on the propeller shaft and connected with the same by a train of gears so that the wind from the propeller, or resulting therefrom by the passage of the aeroplane through the air, will act on the wind wheel and assist in rotating the same and thereby effect a saving of fuel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a motor of this character adapted, in event of the internal combustion englne of the aeroplane becoming inoperative while the aeroplane is in the air, to serve as a wind motor for actuating the propeller and thereby rendering the aeroplane more easily handled and comparatively safe under such conditions.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor detalls ofconstruction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an aeroplane motor constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the aeroplane motor.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts drawings.

In. the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of in all the figures of the the invention, 1 designates a propeller shaft mounted in a frame or stand 2 and equipped with a propeller 3' and designed to be con-' nected with an internal combustion engine of any desired type (not shown). The supporting frame or stand may be of any desired construction and isprovided with ballbearings 4,- and suitable ball-bearings or other anti-friction devicesare designed to be provided at all points for reducing the friction to a minimum. Mounted upon the propeller shaft 1 is a wind wheel 5 having its hub 6 secured to a sleeve or tubular shaft 7 which rotates freely on the propeller shaft. The wind wheel is located at one end of the tubular shaft or sleeve 7 and the latter is provided at its other end with a balance wheel 8 and it has keyed or otherwise secured to it a pinion 9 and it is connected by a train of gears with the propeller shaft 1, which, when rotated or actuated by the wind wheel, as hereinafter described, revolves at a relatively high rate of speed compared with that of the wind wheel. The pinion 9 meshes with a gear wheel 10 of a short shaft 11 and the said gear wheel 10 meshes with a pinion 12 of a short counter-shaft 13. The shafts 11 and 12 are supported by a transverse frame 1 1 or bearing bracket which is preferably. integral'with or rigidily connected to the bearing frame or stand. The shafts, however, may be mounted in any other desired derstood and, while they are shown in hOl'lzontal alinement, they may be placed in any other position found most convenient, and the numbers of gears and their relative sizes may be varied to The outer shaft carries agear wheel 15 which meshes with a pinion 16 of the intermediate shaft 11, and the latter also carries a gear wheel 17 which meshes with a pinion 18 of the propeller shaft. The gear wheel 10 is loose on the shaft 11', while the pinions 12 and 16 and the gear wheels 15 and 17 are keyed orotherwise fixed to their respective shafts. The pinion 18 is also keyed or otherwise secured to the propeller shaft 1.

The air acting against the base of the wind wheel is adapted to rotate the same and when rotated under such power it will drive the propeller shaft and the propeller and,

manner as will be readily unv suit requirements engine.

should the engine become inoperative when an aeroplane Is in the air, the wind wheel will operate as a safety device and in. descending will cause a rotation of the propeller blade and a forward propulsion of the aeroplane, thereby greatly increasing the safety of the aeroplane under such conditions. Also it is adapted to effect a saving of gasolene as it may be used as the propelling means under similar conditions, when it is desired to stop the internal combustion This will enable an aeroplane to proceed noiselessly in a forward direction simultaneously with a gradual descent. For instance, the aeroplane may attain a relatively high elevation. at a distance from a given point and may then proceed under the power of the wind wheel over such given point, making a' noiseless passage thereat.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described including a propeller having a propeller shaft, a wind wheel mounted on the propeller shaft,

and a train of gears connecting the wind' wheel with the propeller shaft for causing aaaaeoa the propeller shaft to travel at a higher rate of speed than the wind wheel.

2. A device of the class described includmg a propeller having a propeller shaft, a wind wheel provided with a tubular shaft or sleeve mounted on the propeller shaft, pinions carried by the tubular shaft or sleeve and the propeller shaft, and a train of gears connecting the said pinions.

3. A device of the class described including a propeller having a propeller shaft, a wind wheel provided with a tubular shaft or sleeve mounted on the propeller shaft, pinions carried by the tubular shaft or sleeve and the propeller shaft, a train of gears connecting the said pinions, and a balance wheel mounted on the tubular shaft or sleeve.

llntestimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK GRETSKY. Witnesses:

CHAs. E. PHILLIPS, HENRY 13. LAKE. 

